Always a Chance
by MoonSparrow
Summary: Never stop believing. Don't ever lose hope for your dreams. Anything can happen, if you truly want it to. T to be safe. -Haitus-
1. Chapter 1

**MoonSparrow: Holy Sir Cow Moos-a-lot! I am superdy nervous about this story. It's my third and hopefully best story. I have great hopes and expectations for this one. Anywho (I love that word) Here's the info on this story. **

**Title: Always a Chance (you probably guessed that) or Aac for short.**

**Of/ based off of: Maximum Ride, sort of. I've got my and some other OCs in it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the ipod, any of the songs mentioned, Maximum Ride, the school, Erasers, Terra or Alexis Shadow. (Those are my friends' OCs)**

**Claimer: Basically what I **_**do**_** own in this story is the idea for it and a few OCs.**

**Random thought of the moment: "I wish I could go on the roof right now."**

**Song playing: Stand in the Rain by Superchick (I love them)**

**Well, with that let's begin!**

…

_"Get away from me, you monster!" I screamed as I struggled to free myself of the cuffs chaining me to the wall and hospital bed. An evil scientist holding a needle was walking toward me with a crazed gleam in his eyes._

_ "Don't struggle, child. You'll feel a little prick and then you'll go to beddy bye." The scientist said as he flicked the needle to release the bubbles and to scare me. _

_ "Then what, you'll insert poison into me? I don't think so!" In my struggle I had managed to free my ankles. The bed was on wheels and wasn't attached to the wall so I readied my feet at the edge of the bed. _

_ "Don't do anything hasty now, child." Mr. crazy said, slight anger lacing his cold voice. _

_ "Like I'm going to listen to you." With all my force, I kicked the bed, making it hit Dr. Psycho, knocking him to the ground and the needle got ran over by the bed, the liquid oozing out onto the floor. _

_ "My you are quite the feisty one, child." He attempted to stand up but ended up slipping and falling again. _

_ "I'm feisty and I'm gonna kick your, "_

_ "Watch your mouth child!" He threw a dart of sorts, probably a sedative one, at me. Too bad for him that his aim is terrible and it got stuck in the lock. I twisted it with my fingers and, presto! It was unlocked. I released my hand and took the dart to unlock the cuff. It opened with ease and I threw the dart at Dr. Crazy-experimenter on the floor. I kicked the window, making it shatter and I leapt into the sill. _

_ "Sleep well, Dr. Coo coo." I called as I readied myself for my daring escape._

_ "Experiment 13 is escaping!" the helpless scientist yelled. _

_ Now, you'd probably think that I was insane for jumping out of the 6__th__ floor of this building. As I free fell for a foot or so, I unfurled my wings fast. Yes, I said wings. 11 feet of black and gray feathers shimmering in the Moonlight as they cut through the air, gracefully. I looked down to see the ever-bloodthirsty wolf hybrids, staring at me menacingly. _

_ "Erasers." I breathed. "See ya, suckers!" I shouted as I soared up and disappeared into the night._

That's when I shot up to a sitting position. I looked around me and saw familiar surroundings engulfed in Moonlight. I looked up to see the serenity and beauty of the black sky only being illuminated by the Moon. I relaxed a moment as I thought about my dream. I had been having that same one for a while now. It didn't make a lot of sense considering I'm not anything special. No wings, sorry. I looked down at what I was sitting on. The roof. I always loved coming and sitting on the roof. That's when I realized something.

"Shoot, I fell asleep out here again! Mom's gonna kill me!" I quickly swung down off the roof onto my little balcony and then rushed inside to my attic bedroom.

As I entered my black room, I looked at the small red numbers glowing from my alarm clock.

"Midnight, crap!" I quickly jumped under my covers as I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I settled myself and went into my fake sleep just as my door opened and my mom's brunette head popped in.

"Honey, was that you?" Her gentle voice asked. Her gaze rested on the 'sleeping' form of her daughter. "Oh, night then." Mom said as she quietly closed the door and walked down to her room.

I then sat up, resting my head on my headboard. I loved my mom. She was really nice and caring and she loved me too. I was glad that she was my mom.

I quickly grabbed my ipod and set it to shuffle, letting myself be lulled to sleep by music.

…~…

"Jane, time to get up!" I heard my mom yell from downstairs. Oh yeah, my name isn't Jane, that's just one of my nicknames. My real name is Jaena (pronounced Jane-uh) Sparrow (being my middle name) Jakeson. (Pronounced Jake-sun) My mom calls me either Jane or Jae mostly though. My mom says that I named myself, except for my last name. She says it went like this.

I was about two years old. My mom was calling my given name.

_"Lauren! Lauren Fay Jakeson! Where are you?" _she yelled, over and over until she found me on the roof. _"Lauren Fay Jakeson, come down from there at once!" _I just turned and looked at her. _"I called your name a thousand times. Why don't you come when you are called?"_

_ "Because, you didn't call my name."_

_ "Yes I did, Lauren."_

_ "My name is not Lauren Fay. My name is Jaena Sparrow." _My mother and I stared at each other a while until mom sighed and said,

_"Alright. Please come down, Jaena." _And I did. From that moment on I was Jaena Sparrow Jakeson.

"I'm up." I yelled in reply. I jumped out of bed and walked over to my mirror. I saw my twelve-year-old face staring back at me. My silver eyes glinting in the light. My black hair tumbled down to my waist as I undid my ponytail.

I groggily made my way downstairs to a plate of waffles, fixed up just the way I like 'em.

"Thanx, mom." I said as I sat down and began to enjoy the breakfast. Once I had finished, I wiped my mouth and ran up to my room again.

I started rifling through my closet for clothes. Finally I settled on some gray jeans with the bottoms a little torn up from being dragged on the ground so much. I also chose a long-sleeved button–up shirt that was blue, black, green, red, and white plaid. I buttoned it up so that four of the middle buttons were together, leaving the top and bottom to open out into a "v" shape. The top exposed my gray tank top undershirt.

I brushed my hair and put it into my signature two braids that went to about three inches above my waist. I had my black bangs swept over my left eye.

"Hmm. What to do today, what to do?" I asked myself as I paced around the room. "Well, I could take my ipod, notebook, my other book, and my laptop out on the roof again." I paced some more as I voiced my thoughts. "Yeah, I'll do that." I grabbed a tan bag from the corner that had all my stuff in it and I walked out onto my balcony. I swung the bag onto the roof and shortly after I jumped up too.

I sat cross-legged on the roof and I listened a moment to the birds.

"I wish I could have wings and fly like a bird." I said with a sigh. Little did I know that my wish would come true. I grabbed my ipod and my notebook. I put my ipod to shuffle and the first song that came on was "Lithium" by Evanescence. I opened my notebook to a fresh page and started drawing.

The sun was at its peak when my mom showed up on my balcony with a sandwich and a water bottle. I pulled out one of my headphones and smiled at her.

"Lunch time, Jane." My mom smiled back as she lifted the tray up to me.

"Thanks, ma." I said as I leaned over and grabbed the tray. I happily munched on my sandwich. I took a swig of water. I returned to my drawings. About ten minutes later my stomach growled. I sat there for a little longer in silence until I was attacked by another growl from my stomach.

"Dang, I'm hungry again?" I grunted and swung down into my room. I bounced down the stairs and grabbed one of my personal ice cream tubs, a spoon, and a box of wheat thins. I brought them all up on the roof with me. Luckily it wasn't warm enough out for the ice cream to melt.

Half an hour later I finished eating and I put the stuff away. Once I came back out and settled back on the roof I thought aloud, "That was weird. I've never been _that _hungry, _that_ quickly before."

Sunset came quickly and I turned to marvel at it. I love sunsets. They make me so happy. I got lost in the colors that painted the sky when my mom came out again.

"Jane, honey, time for dinner."

I blinked and slowly turned my head toward her. "Mmk. What are we having?"

"Spaghetti, garlic bread, sauce, and for dessert, chocolate chip cookies."

In a dreamy voice I replied, saying, "You had me at spaghetti." We laughed a little. My mom nodded, a smile on her face, and she went back inside.

Just as I was about to swing down into my room, a cool breeze blew, making me freeze in my tracks. I heard voices in the wind. I experienced the uncanny feeling that someone was watching me very closely, studying me. Monitoring my every move. Talk about paranoia. I turned my head ever so slowly and saw a small house with its lights on. I stared there for a second and then turned to leave. Just as I swung inside, I heard chillingly familiar voices on the wind. They said,

"Experiment 13 is finally developing. Now the real experiment begins."

…~…

**MoonSparrow: Well, what did you guys think? Review. Oh and um, when reviewing I want pure and genuine honesty. So if I screwed something up or if anything didn't make sense, let me know. Questions and constructive criticism are all welcome. Thanks for reading the first chapter. See you soon. Byez! (Waves.)**


	2. Captivated Captive

**MoonSparrow: I'm back! Sorry I haven't written for a while. I've kinda been busy with…life. So worry not, for I have yet to fall off the face of the earth. **

**Terra: But it will happen. Don't worry I have a helmet.**

**MoonSparrow: Hey Terra! (high fives) Haku Pose! (Assumes Haku Pose) **

**(Giggles) **

**MoonSparrow: Yo, Terra, you want to do the claiming of disses?**

**Terra: Yeppidy yeppers *wink* MoonSparrow does not own Maximum Ride or anything else except the idea and a few OCs.**

**MoonSparrow: Tally-ho! With that, let us begin. **

"_**1 in 8 babies are given to the wrong parents. I guess I was that 1." ~Jaena S.**_

…_**~…**_  
The next day, I woke up with a start. My dreams had haunted me with the voices of the previous night. I slumped downstairs in a daze.

"Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well?" My mom asked once I came into view. She cocked her head when I didn't answer. "Jaena?"

I told myself to just nod, grab some cereal and to hole up in my "secret place", but instead, I stopped in my tracks, hung my head, and mumbled,

", not safe. they're comin' for me."

"Who's coming? What do they want with you? Whoever they are, I'll kick the living daylights out of 'em. You just say the word and it's kick-keister-Momma on the scene."

That was one reason why I loved my mom. She was willing to go kick some scientist booty for me. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.

"No, no, you don't need to do that. I appreciate that you would though. This is my problem, not yours, so don't worry about it."

My mom came and put her hand on my shoulder. She then proceeded to turn me to face her. This, of course, triggered a flashback to occur.

…**~…** (Flashback begins)

_I was running. Large, thundering feet stomped after me. A large, rough hand harshly grabbed my shoulder and turned me to face my captor. He was a tall man in a white coat. He was a cruel man, and an angry one, too. First, he smacked my face, creating pain and stress stricken tears to flow down my face. He made my eyes meet his. His murderous, spring green eyes shimmering with despise and a hint of despair. _

…**~…(**Flashback ends)

"Jaena, what's wrong?" Concern laced her voice as I snapped back to reality to realize that I was crying. I was staring into my mom's gentle, dark brown eyes. "Why are you crying, Jae-" I cut her off.

"Mom, just call me," I gulped. "Just call me, Fay."

"Fay? But," Again I cut off my mom's confused voice.

"I know it seems really odd, but please just do that, okay? If I get a chance to, I'll explain. I'm sorry." Tears continued to stream down my face as I flew upstairs.

I reached my room and closed the door behind me. I sunk to a crouching position, not daring to go on the roof after last night.

"W, why am I c, crying? I n, never c, cry." I stuttered I was usually the strong, silent one. I sat in the corner and disappeared, but I never cried. I wiped away my tears and sniffled. I stood up and turned around to open the door. My mom was right in the doorway.

"J," She cleared her throat. "I mean, Fay, what's wrong?"

I pulled her out of my room and led her downstairs to a walk-in closet. I shut the door after us and looked my mom straight in the eye.

"What is going on? What's the matter with you?"

"Mom, what do you know about the neighbors?" I had instantly gained my mother's attention.

"Our n, neighbors?" she seemed like they weren't really her favorite subject. "W, why do you ask?" Her voice cracked.

"Because I need to know, ma. What's up? You know something I don't."

"Um, I'm not really sure. They moved in right after we got you back." Mom's eyes widened and she placed her hand over her mouth after she realized what she said.

"'Got me back?' Where'd I go?" I was getting curious at my mom's statement.

"You didn't go anywhe," Again I cut her off, my voice had a slight edge on it now.

"What happened to me when I was little? Where did I go, mother?"

My mom began to tear up a little. Her voice shook as she spoke. "You, you were taken when you were younger. Just after we brought you out of the hospital, some vile person nabbed you away." Extra venom was spat when she uttered the word "vile"

I took a step back, hitting the door. "What?"

"When you were just about to turn two years old, and after we had almost lost all hope from two years of tirelessly searching, you showed up again, on the doorstep. The day after, these neighbors showed up. The reason I had agreed so fast to your name change was because I saw one of the four men that lived there, just staring and scribbling down random notes. I felt you were on display or something so, I agreed to get you down and inside."

"Y, you mean, I was, kidnapped?"

"Pretty much. Thank goodness we got you back, though." She breathed as pain danced in her eyes.

"A, and I was missing for t, two y, years? You guys had no idea where I was or who I was with for two whole years?" I had tears start to blur my vision slightly.

She just nodded. I couldn't understand. I never knew this much about my past. My parents never said anything. And my dad died when I was five. That popped another question into my head.

"Mom, how did daddy die?" That pushed her over the edge. She began to sob like no tomorrow. I patted her back. "I'm sorry." I stood up and ran to my room. I plopped down out on the balcony. Why was I such an idiot?

Apparently, I fell asleep out there for a few hours and woke up and stood up to the sound of my door opening. My mom came out and stood beside me.

"I'm sorry, honey." She rubbed my back comfortingly.

"No, ma, it was my fault. It's just, you never talk about it and I wanted to know."

"It's really okay. You deserve to know." She took a deep breath. " He died from falling from your balcony. I don't exactly know why or how he fell but that's what happened." She fixed her sad gaze out on the sunset. "All I do know, is he was trying to save his baby girl." Mom's now loving gaze turned to me.

I smiled and shared a hug with her and then we walked inside to have a nice girl movie night, just like old times.

…~…

"So, Experiment 13 is learning about her past, is she? So curious, just like her father." Ethan Collins put the binoculars down on his lap. He stroked his chin at the memory of the man known as Experiment 13's father. Ethan was there when he died. He actually was partly what caused the poor man's death. Mr. Collins began to think back on it.

…~…(Flashback begins.)

_It was a rainy fall day. Cyril Jakeson was standing in front of the opened balcony doors in his young daughter's room. His angry glare was being shot at a lean man in a white coat. This man's name was Ethan Collins. _

_ "What did you do, Collins? What did you do to my daughter?" a slight crazed gleam danced in Cyril's eyes. _

_ "What ever do you mean, Cyril?" Ethan had sarcasm glimmer in his voice. _

_ "I know it was you that captured my little girl for two years. I also know that you did experiments and tests on her." He angrily breathed._

_ "Why would you say such preposterous things?" Ethan mockingly replied._

_ "My daughter had small wings sprout an hour ago. Then they disappeared. That was your doing, I'm sure. How could you, Ethan? I thought we were friends." Cyril's gaze went from anger to hurt. _

_ "It was my job. It's interesting that you said she had wings because for the entire time we had her, nothing happened. I guess I'll have to take her back to the School." He said seriously._

_ "If you lay one finger on my little Jaena, so help me. You'll be dead before you could insert one of those syringes of yours." Hatred seethed through his teeth._

_ "Well, I guess we'll see, won't we?" Ethan pulled a syringe out of his pocket and flicked the bubbles. He started toward a young, sleeping form. _

_ "No while I'm alive!" Cyril yelled as he jumped in front of the scientist. Ethan's needle then released its contents into Mr. Jakeson. _

_ "No, you fool!" Ethan said as Cyril stumbled toward the balcony as he ripped out the syringe. _

_ "No one will ever hurt my family." He smiled as he leaned heavily against the railing. Ethan walked to his dying friend. _

_ Ethan looked Cyril straight in the eye. He grabbed his friend's hand as tears slowly coursed down his face. "Why, why would you willingly do something like that?"_

_ "Jaena is my only baby girl. I don't want her to live a horrible life like I did. I love her and I love Fawn. Love can make a man go blind and mad but, it'll always make you happy." _

_ "No, no, Cyril." Ethan choked on his words. _

_ "Good bye, old friend." With that, Cyril Jakeson breathed his last and fell over the edge, Ethan fell with him, for he had a death grip on his friend._

_ As they hit the earth, Ethan kneeled and shook his friend. "Cyril, please, please don't go. Please. Please!" It was too late. His friend was gone. Ethan hung his head and said his last words as tears for a lost almost brother fell. He then unsteadily stood and proceeded to walk away._

…_~…_(Flashback ends)

Ethan hung his head again. Then he whispered under his breath,

"May he rest in peace."

**MoonSparrow: Whoa. Even I wasn't expecting that.**

**Terra: When do Shadow-chan and I come in?**

**MoonSparrow: Soon, my young padawon, very soon indeed.**

**Terra: Huh**

**MoonSparrow: Just let me have my moment, k? Well see you next chappie. Please review. I'll try to update sooner than last time. Okay, 'till tomorrow town… Byez! (Smiles and waves.**

**Terra: (Tilts head and smiles. Waves)**


	3. Just like old times

**MoonSparrow: Salutations my good readers! K, sorry that I'm kinda slowing down on updating. But anyways, oh um you guys can call me Suzume-chan. Suzume means sparrow in Japanese so yeah. **

**Terra: Hey, do I come in this chapter? Or Shadow? Or both?**

**MoonSparrow: You'll just have to see. I don't own anything 'cept the idea and Jaena and some other ocs. With that let us beginith! (Does dramatic arm movement)**

"_**I don't want to run and hide, but I feel as though I'm flying and falling with each stride."**_

…~…

I awoke with a start as I collided with the floor. I had been having really weird and scarily realistic dreams ever since my mom told me about when I was younger. Each time they got scarier and more real. I would always wake up with a start and each time I'd be doing something more and more 'drastic' than the last time. Today I landed on the floor. Oh and carpet doesn't help cushion you when you do a face-plant into the floor.

"Oww." I unsteadily stood up, rubbing my head.

I guess my mom heard the large "_THUD" _because she came rushing up stairs and into my room to see me walking unstably to my desk.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" She helped me stand up straight and I smiled.

"I'm fine, ma, just sort of…fell." She eyed me knowing that I didn't 'just fall'.

"How'd you fall?" She had a small smirk appear on her face.

"I woke up startled and I fell onto the floor. So how's about some breakfast?" We laughed a little and my mom nodded. As she left, I told her that I'd be down shortly.

"Dang, I hit it hard." I gripped my arm that sadly had to come in between the floor and I when I fell. When I started my way downstairs, my hand that was holding my sore arm brushed against the braided pigtail on the side of my hurt arm. (A.K.A the left side.)

I came to the kitchen to see an empty table except for my breakfast. My mom had gone upstairs to her room, I knew that much. I sat down to face my breakfast half and half waffles. One side was chocolate, the other being vanilla. Then to top it all off, it was drizzled in chocolate sauce stuff. Yum. I 'dug in' and finished quickly. I wiped my mouth with my napkin and I put away the dishes.

I chose my gray jeans and a cream colored, v-neck tee with black polka dots and a large heart in the middle that said, "Follow your heart." I undid my braids and they tumbled into curly, waist length black hair. While straitening my glasses, I smiled and saw the shine come off of my silver and black braces. Quickly I threw on my black converse and I twirled around.

"Good morning, good morning! It's great to stay up late, good morning, good morning to you." I quoted what I had heard sung on some special features on a movie. One of the actors had sung it. I twirled until I fell onto my bed. I was laughing when my mom stepped in.

"Well, hello, Ms. Bubbly. Are we having a good time?" She and I cracked big smiles at that.

I jumped up, off my bed and into an interesting position. One leg was all that kept me up. My other leg was straight out behind me and my arms were the same way, only to the side of me, like an airplane. "Of course I'm having fun. I am oddly very happy today." I then changed my positioning. My arms flowed from level at my sides to one higher than the other on each side and as my arms moved, the rest of my body went to standing vertically. My left leg gracefully crossed over my right. My arms then wheeled in small circled at my sides and then made an "x" shape above my head. As the started to uncross themselves, they went to my sides and pulled my body to a bowing position. My left leg gracefully flowed to a pointing position on my left side, on the floor. I then raised myself to a vertical position again and my arms made the same position only, opposite. (Meaning, 1st time: right arm high and left low. 2nd time: left arm high and right arm low.)

"Now where did _that_ come from, Fay?" My mom had become accustom to calling me that.

"I really don't know, but for some reason I feel like something really good is going to happen soon. So I really happy!" I had a real smile spread across my face. That was something that usually wasn't there.

"Well, I'm glad that you're so happy. You know what? How's about you and I go boating today? Just like old times." I saw the happy glimmer in her eyes. She obviously wanted to go.

"Of course, I'd love to." We used to always go to the lake and hang out.

Oh, right, I forgot. I live in Minnesota. There are lakes all around. Though, there is one that is special to us and it's only about four miles from our house. I ran to my closet after my mom left again and I slipped on my purple and white striped swimsuit. I then threw on some shorts and a long-ish short-sleeved t-shirt for a cover-up.

We went out on the lake when the sun was at it's highest and there was not a cloud in the sky. We explored the lake like we always do and we swam together. I missed coming out on the lake. It was always fun. At one point, we were sitting in the boat, eatin' our munchies, (A/N munchies=snacks) and the question popped up again.

"Hey mom?" She turned to face me.

"Yesh, shweetie?" Her words were a little muffled from the food in her mouth. She giggled and then swallowed. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Why _did_ we stop coming out here?" My mom's head cocked to the side and she stared out in a thinking matter.

"Hmm, I'm not really sure. That's a good question. Sorry."

"It's okay, mom. I was just wondering." We continued to eat and hang out until the sun began to set.

"The sunset is so beautiful today." My mom said awe-struck.

"Sunsets are always beautiful on the lake, even in the winter. Though you're right, it does seem even more beautiful today." We decided to go back and mom let me drive the boat.

That night I went to sleep with a smile on my face. Though the boat trip was fun and good, I knew that something else happy and really big was still yet to happen. I drifted to sleep, thinking about what it may be.

…~…

Dark clouds loomed overhead at the School in California. All that could be heard was the soft crying of an unknown source. The halls were dark. But in one room, a scientist came and dumped a young girl into her cage. Her cage was hard to distinguish amongst the rows after endless rows of hard, cold, metal dog crates. She shot open her eyes after hearing the scientist leave, revealing shocking electric blue irises.

Her short, light brown, layered hair swished slightly in her face. Slowly, she pushed them away to show dark circles around her eyes. Pain and mischief danced through her gaze. She had "found" a piece of chalk and kept it in her cage. She turned to face the back of the cage. Using the chalk, she made a straight, white line. She then looked at it to see that her freshly made line was towards the bottom of the wall. She nodded sadly and turned away from it.

Two of the three walls in her cage were now almost full identical white streaks. All together, there were 4,380 streaks on the walls. The girl knew how many streaks there were and she smirked.

And I'm only twelve, she thought. She then looked up and out the window, high above her. A large black-ish gray-ish bird flew by. Her eyes widened slightly. After about ten minutes, the bird soared away, out of view. She smirked again and let out a small, sad sigh.

Grabbing the chalk, she put a white slash on the "ceiling" of her cage. "Three hundredth, forty second bird that hasn't been my hero. Where are you?" The girl said quietly as she remembered the promise of her possibly best friend, well one of the two anyway.

…~…(Flashback begins)

_It was the year 2000. A little black haired girl and a little light brown haired girl were talking to each other through their cages. _

_ "So, do you think I'll be able to really fly?" the light brown haired girl asked, her electric blue eyes large and inquisitive._

_ "Of course. I'm gonna fly when with my wings." The black haired girl replied, her silver eyes glinting with youth,_

_ "But yours haven't even come out yet. What if it don't work when I try?" the girl's shocking blue eyes started to brim with tears._

_ "Anything is possible, if you really want it to be." Her silver eyes looked into the distance. They shared a thoughtful silence that was interrupted by a tall man in a white coat walking toward them._

_ "Whitecoat." The blue-eyed girl shakily whispered. _

_ "He won't hurt you with me here." The silver-eyed girl bravely whispered back._

_ The man opened the silver-eyed girl's cage and crouched down to her level. "Come on out. It's time to go." He said smoothly as he pulled the girl out._

_ "Where?" she asked, sounding innocent._

_ "You're going home." The two girls gaped._

_ The blue-eyed girl shook herself out of it and became worried. "But no one ever goes home. Am I going too? Jae, will I ever see you again?" the last question she asked quietly._

_ "No, you aren't going home." As he was walking away with the silver-eyed girl, she whispered back, only so the other girl could hear._

_ "Don't ever forget me. You will see me again someday. I'll learn how to fly and I'll come rescue you. Keep watching the sky. I'll come and be your and Shadow's hero." As she said this, she pointed to the sleeping form of a small girl with brown hair and very dark brown eyes. "So don't ever lose hope, Terra. I love you." _

_ "I'll never forget, Sparrow." The blue-eyed girl, known as Terra, whispered through her tears. With that, the silver-eyed girl, known as Sparrow, was carried away._

…~… (Flashback ends)

That was ten years ago, thought Terra. And Shadow escaped three years ago when she was nine. Terra then looked back to the sad looking sky. She smiled and started to cry silently.

"But I still won't give up. I know that you'll be my hero, Jaena Sparrow." She quietly whispered to the skies. She then looked down at the ring on the middle finger of her left hand. It was one that Shadow, Sparrow, and herself all had. It had the letters, "T S S" on it. Terra looked to the skies again, tears rolled down her face.

"Just hurry up, I'm losing patience." Terra smiled.

**MoonSparrow: That is how I'll make up for being slow and lazy, I'll just make really awesome chapters. **** Oh, and, apparently they were all pretty smart and could speak well when they were younger. Umm, you've now met Terra and Shadow will be introduced in some upcoming chapter. **** Okay, that's it so, until next chapter, Byez! (Smiles and waves.**


	4. Google searches and rememberances

**MoonSparrow: Hello. I know I'm really behind on these chapters, I'm sorry. Oh, and I'm gonna be away at camp for a week. Away from a computer as well. So, when I come back, I'll probably update. **

**Terra: No, don't leave us, Sparrow! If you're gone, then we won't have anything to do. (Makes sad face)**

**MoonSparrow: I'm sorry, Terra. But I'll be back in a week. (Attempts a weak smile)**

**Terra: A week. Do you know what all can happen in a week? **

**MoonSparrow: Hey, Terra, want some pocky? Here, go get some pocky. (Throws stick of pocky)**

**Terra: Pocky? Pocky! (Runs after pocky)**

**MoonSparrow: (Giggles) With that, let's begin.**

_**"Even if we are miles apart, we are still together in heart."**_

…~…

Well, I finally found a way for me to be outside at, hmm, roof level and higher without the neighbors seeing me. There are a lot of trees nearby and three in particular are great. Two of them stand side by side in front of another. So, I sit in the hidden tree and the two in front are my protection.

Anyways, I was on my laptop searching for buildings in California. I had a dream about this building and all I knew about it was that it was in California, it seemed familiar, and I had this weird feeling that something big, involving me, happened there.

'Unusual Californian buildings.' My fingers busily typed. I hit return. I looked at the first page that showed up. I squinted from the sun in my eyes and brought up a hand to shield from it.

_'Reportedly, screams and crying have been heard around this ominous building in the middle of a wooded area in Death Valley, California.'_

"Death Valley, screaming, hmmm, sounds lovely." I murmured to myself as I clicked on the link. When it opened up, it looked like a scanned a newspaper was put on the internet.

_'Two people were camping nearby this building. They were exploring the surrounding areas when they found this place. Supposedly, they saw large, murderous "wolf-men." They also claimed to seeing a young girl with wings being chased by these grotesque creatures.' 'It is unknown if these were real sightings or if the imaginations of this couple were acting up. It is also unknown whether or not these people were under the influence or perhaps their sanity could have been faltering.' _

"That's great. So basically it could've been that it was real. Or these people were either drunk, delirious, or completely bonkers!" I was flailing my arms about in a dramatic way. "But it seemed really familiar." I looked back at what they supposedly saw. "'Wolf-men and a young winged girl.'" I then remembered something distant seeming.

…~…(Flash back begins)

_I was running, looking every and anywhere for an escape. I glanced back to see his murderous smile. His eyes gleamed with mischief and satisfaction for a soon to be victory. Well, that's what he thinks anyway, I thought. _

_ "Oh look at the little tweety bird, trying to run and fly free. Your mine Jae!" He was shouting and I heard the smile in his voice._

_ "You, you, vile monster! Why can't you go eat a bone like other dogs?" Then, I saw my way out of this continuous chase. I jumped up and kicked his face. I then used the force of that to launch myself into the air and I was falling now. I pulled 'them' out and heard the big 'whoosh!' I then floated up in the air._

…~… (Flashback ends)

I was scratching my head. What was that from? I thought bewildered. I cocked my head to the side when I thought about the 'you girl with wings.' That seemed really familiar too.

…~…(Flashback #2 begins.)

_I was being pulled away; "taken home" was what the whitecoat said. I turned to the girl in a dog crate that was next to mine. Her face was worried._

_ "But no one ever goes home. Am I going home? Will I ever see you again, Jaena?" Her last question she asked only loud enough for me to hear._

_ "No, you are not going home." The whitecoat that was pulling me along said calmly. _

_ "Don't worry, I'll learn how to fly and then I'll come back to save you. I promise. I will come back and be your and Shadow's hero." I gestured to a girl in the cage across from ours. I smiled. "Just watch the skies for me and I'll come save you. Never forget me. And one more thing that you must never forget, I love you, Terra." With that I was pulled out of sight._

…~…(Flashback ends)

T-terra. I thought. "I remember, Terra." I looked up at the sky and started crying. "I'm so sorry, Terra. I forgot for all these years. I'll save you. I will save you!" I smiled. "It's time to go inside." I said to no one.

Once I was back inside, I closed all the curtains in my room and flopped down on my bed. My tears were staining my blankets. I turned over onto my back and stared at the ceiling.

After a few minutes, something dawned on me. I sat up quickly.

"Terra had wings. So, did Shadow. Wait does that mean that I have wings too?"

**MoonSparrow: Dun dun DUN! Hehe. Well, sorry if this was a little mixed up but whatever. Um if you have any questions, comments, constructive criticism, suggestions, just click that little button down there and I'll be sure to answer as soon as I can. I won't be here for a week so I bid you ado, for now. Until tomorrow town. Byez!**


	5. What the wings!

**MoonSparrow: Oh my goodness, I am so sorry you guys. I****'m not sure what's wrong with me for not writing. I haven't been in the writing mood I guess. But that is no excuse. I'm really sorry. Thank you all for your patience though. I start school tomorrow. Ugg, I'll be busy with school but once I find time and things are back to the "normal" flow again I'll try and update. Okay?**

** Well, with that, let us begin.**

…**~…**

"So, does that mean, I have wings too?" I asked myself. I cautiously turned to look at my back. I ran my hands up from my lower to my upper back. I felt something there, something soft yet tough. I got up and walked over to my mirror and I picked up a handheld one. Just as I was about to lift up my shirt and look,

"Hey honey! What's goin' on?" My mom popped in.

I quickly dropped my handheld mirror, turned toward her and said, "Nothin'. Just thinkin' 'bout stuff."

"Oh, okay. Well, I was just wondering what you'd like for lunch, is pizza good?"

"Yea, mom. Pizza would be great." I replied with all the fake "I'm happy and nothing is wrong or surprising"-ness I could muster.

"Alright. I'll call you when it's ready." She looked in my eyes for a moment, smiled, and then left.

I sighed. I should really get a lock or something on my door, I thought. I grabbed the mirror again and took off my light blue long sleeved shirt. I was just standing there in my gray under shirt. I looked through the reflecting reflection. (A/n the reflection shown in the large mirror being reflected through the handheld one)

"Oh. My. Gosh." I saw two, folded up clumps of feathers. Effortlessly, I unfolded the wings a little to get a better look. On each side were black and gray feathers aligned for a pair of beautiful wings.

"Oh my gosh. I can't believe it!" I started to cry. "It's true. It's really, honestly, genuinely true!"

"Honey, lunch time!" I heard the muffled call from my mom come from downstairs.

"Okay. I'll be down in a second." I quickly pulled "them" in and threw a blanket over myself just in case. "Well, I guess I know what the "big thing" was now." I smiled to myself as I headed downstairs. This is where my adventure begins, I thought.

…~…

I sat at the table and mom placed the pizza on the table. I quickly and stealthily grabbed two pieces and plopped them on my plate. Mom eyed my blanket then sat down. She looked at it again then at me.

"Fay, what's with the um, blanket?"

"I, uh, got a little cold and I like blankets…" How lame of an alibi was _that_!

"Gotcha'. I could've turned down the A.C. a little. Or closed the windows." She offered.

"No, really. I'm fine. Besides, I like blankets." Dang, I was such a dork.

We ate in an awkward almost silence. Mom would bring up some random topic and I'd nod or say somethin' interesting in reply. Once I was done I thanked my mom, put away my stuff and ran back to my room.

…~…

Once I was back in the somewhat safety of my bedroom, I dropped the blanket on the floor and I unfolded my wings so that they were stretched out all the way.

"That's better." I happily sighed. I looked at my wings. They were 11 feet of black and gray beauty.

"I guess this makes a little sense out of those wacky dreams." I remembered every single one of those dreams as though they happened yesterday.

Slowly, I reached my hands up on either side to feel my wings. Each feather soft and weak on its own but, together were strong and ready to fly. I was too. The only question was would it work?

…~…

"Experiment 13 hasn't shown any out of the norm activity. It retreated to its home at oh twelve hundred. Suspicions are rising." Ethan Collins said aloud what he wrote down in his notes as he wrote them.

Mr. Collins raised his head and gazed up at the balcony of the house next door. He pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"What is she doing in there?" He wondered to himself.

"Collins!" Ethan turned his attention toward the door at the sound of his name being yelled.

"Yes?" He replied.

A tall, slightly tan man stepped into the doorway. His dirty blond hair swept across his face as he stared at Ethan. "What are you doing, Collins?" The man demanded. He seemed to be in his late twenties.

"Observing and taking notes on Experiment 13. Why?" Calmly, he closed his notebook, leaving the pencil he was using to mark his place.

"I see. Well, could you peel yourself away from your latest obsession and come help me with something upstairs?" A small grim found its way onto this man's face as he said this.

"I suppose so, Taylors. " Mr. Collins chuckled. "I'll be there in a second."

"You'd better. Or else I'll eat your dinner." Jake Taylors smiled and left to go upstairs.

Ethan set his notebook on the windowsill and stood up. He gazed out at the sky above "Experiment 13's" house.

A thought dawned on Ethan for a moment. "I wonder if she got her wings?"

With that he turned and left the room, soon to find the answer to his question.

…~…

Now was the time of truth. I had quickly enjoyed dinner with my mom then speedily ran to my room. I jotted down a note and placed it on my bed post which read:

_"Dear Mom,_

_ You may think I 'm crazy for this but, just hear me out. I found something out about my past and myself. To put it to the test, I've gone a little to the extreme. If it passes the test, I'll explain when I get back. If not, look on the ground below the balcony for me._

_ Love always,_

_Jaena."_

I was readying myself just inside my room with the double doors opened for me. I was extremely nervous and my shaking body showed that. I crouched to the ground so I could run well. Several scared thoughts swirled in my head.

What if it doesn't work? What if I fall and go splat? I thought. I shook myself. Nothing could stop me. If I couldn't save Terra, I'd at least die trying.

I took off running on what space there was. I quickly hopped up on the railing and used the force to launch me into the cool, night air.

I was shot up about seven feet in the air. As I started to fall, I heard my mom shout from inside.

"Jaena!"

I fell out of sight and I unfurled my wings at perfect timing. A warm, calming feeling washed over me as I felt myself rise in the night air.

…~…

**MoonSparrow: Finally! I was felt like I was taking forever with that. Well, there ya go. I hope you enjoyed my last chapter of the summer. Like I said, I'll update once things are normal-ish again and I have time. Thank you guys for reading and I'll see you all soon. Byez! **


	6. One wing can lead to another

**MoonSparrow: HOLY CRAP I MISSED FANFICTION SO MUCH! I am soooo sorry you guys how incredibly, stupidly long it has taken me to update. It's half schoolwork and life and half I just ya'know, don't do it. Well, I be flippin' doin' it now! **

**Terra: flippin' took you long enough! I've been in there, frozen in time for like 4 to six weeks! Do you know what kinda freaks come around that dang school? They made me see things that can never be unseen. (rants and mumbles more….)**

**MoonSparrow: Right, right. Saving you, I'll get to that. Okay um you guys get to know what life has been like for me so far. Well, school…..I saw the saddest anime ever. "Nausica in the valley of the wind" It is really good though too. :P Halloween is comin' soon, dunno what I want to be however. Should I try and do a Halloween treat for you guys in this story or a new one? Tell me your thoughts. Now, (finally), with that, let us begin!**

…**~…**

The cool air blew in my face as I soared higher and higher, up, up, up, into the starry night sky.

I looked down and gasped. Everything was so small from this high up. I took in a breath of pure awe.

"Wow." I breathed. I never would've thought that flying could be so easy and, well, freeing!

I closed my eyes in bliss as I carefully banked left in a smooth circle.

"Everyone should be able to experience this feeling. To fly like a bird…" I quietly said aloud.

Instantly, my eyes shot open and went in search of my balcony.

"Oh no! Mom!" I quickly found the small half-circle that was my balcony and saw a tiny figure hunched over, as if crying, and shot toward it.

I streaked through the sky, swearing I heard a small gasp from somewhere and I slowed to a stop in front of my mom. I gently tapped her shoulder as I said,

" When you said 'Baby angel, you'll fly one day.' I'll bet you didn't really think it would happen." I smiled, tears starting to stain her sleeve as hers fell on my hand too.

…~…

Mr. Ethan Collins was hunched over Jacob Taylor who was deeply focused on a document on a computer screen.

"Well, they could've just brought the y exponent over to the blue q and doubled it by thirteen…" Jacob thought aloud to Ethan. (A/n I have no idea what so ever what the dickens is on that screen! XD)

Ethan slowly glanced over at the window with a sigh. He saw something launch itself up into the air. He blinked several times. "W-Wha?" He saw it come back around and distinctly saw a flash of black and gray. He ran to the window.

Jacob looked over the top of his glasses as he smoothly swiveled his chair toward the window. "Collins, what _**are**_ you doing?" Slight intrigue lined his question.

"Winghs, experi, thirty teen, fly, ahhh!" His words were jumbled in his surprising excitement.

"What? Slow down and say again, using real words." Jacob had now leaned over in his seat, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Wings! Experiment 13 is flying, with wings! Come. Look! Quickly!" He pointed urgently to outside the window. (A/n song: Miracle by Cascada)

Mr. Taylor stood up and walked over to the window to see what his companion was rambling about. He gazed out at the night sky. He noticed the big and small dipper constellations. The moon was shinning brilliantly.

Just as he was about to turn and say that there was no winged girl flying around and that his companion was a wacky doodle, he noticed a shooting star.

"Wait, it isn't shooting star season yet." He uttered quietly.

"Look closer." Ethan said. There was a moment of silence before he continued. "But, is it Experiment 13 season?" A smile could be clearly heard in his voice.

Jacob looked closer as instructed. And, in fact, it was not a shooting star. He saw black and gray wings, or so it seemed. That was what it was, and they were attached to a smiling, yet determine faced girl. Jacob gasped loudly.

"Experiment 13." He breathed.

…~…

Mom slowly looked up, her eyes wide yet sullen and red from still ongoing tears. She carefully pulled me towards her and held me tight. I embraced her back, smoothing her hair in attempt to settle her shaking form.

"I saw you jump and though you were g-g-gunna k-kill yourself." She wailed. "I briefly saw the note on your bed just as you were jumping and almost d-dyed mys-self."

"It's okay mom. I'm here and safe now. I was really scared too. I love it though, mom. This is what I am. This is what "they" did to me all those years ago. Love it or leave it, mom. Embrace it or exclude it. No, Love me and me as I am, or disown me and push me away. I just pray you'll love me as you always have."

We had separated by now and her shocked eyes were wildly searching my serious ones. She combed her fingers through my hair and stared at my wings as though they had just appeared. She met my gaze again and wore a weak smile.

"Jaena, I could never love you," I looked down so that she couldn't see the emotional knife she had just sent through my heart. Mom lifted my head to meet my eyes again and continued. ", any less because of who you are now. Now there is just more to love." She and I smiled. We came inside completely and sat on my bed, I let my wings rest on it.

"They really are beautiful." Mom barely breathed out after a long almost silence that had been filled with our panting.

"That's why I had to make sure that they weren't just for show. And because I'm going to need their service _**very**_ soon." I gazed past my mom, toward the windows at the gracious dark sky.

"F-for what?" worry sang in her voice.

"A rescue mission of sorts." My heart sank at the thought of Terra and Shadow, scared and weak. I shook off the thought. I _**had**_ to save them as soon as I could.

"Alone? No, if you dy-," her voice faltered. "I mean, "expire" let's say, I wouldn't be able to live any more. Even the not knowing whether or not you were safe would drive me insane."

"I have to save them, mom. They are in the same place that I was taken to and evil people are doing experiments on them. I can't let them live like that for however long or short a life they have left. I love them and I made a promise." I eyes and expression were stern.

Mom's gaze, after a short while, softened. "I did always say to keep your promises and to never give up on those you love." She giggled. "I raised you right. My darling Clementine." I giggled in return. "When do you have to leave?" her question surprised me a little.

"As soon as I can. Tonight would be the best."

"How about tomorrow morning so that you can get your things together, get your rest and we can share one more meal and one more cup of hot cocoa together." She smiled her heartwarming smile.

"Okay." I agreed. "Mom?"

She looked up at me.

"You think we could have the hot chocolate now?"

Mom smiled again, nodded and said, "Sure."

We drank and laughed and talked all into the night and I smiled thinking how this might be the last time in a long time that I smiled or laughed.

I laughed and silently wished that this could last for forever.

…~…

"All set?" My mom asked me the next day. I was crouching over my small bag, packed with essentials. I quickly fastened it and swung it over my shoulder as I stood.

"Yep." I glanced outside and saw that gray clouds were forming in the sky. I quietly started singing. "Mr. Sun. Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me." Mom joined in with me.

We opened the balcony doors and I hopped up onto the ledge again. I looked out then back at my mom again. I felt tears forming in my eyes. "I love you, Mom! I'll never ever forget you!" I whisper-shouted.

She pulled me in and cried too. Mom stroked my hair and whispered into my ear, "I love you too, my little gray angel." She pulled out and held both of my arms. She stared me straight in my eyes.

"I'll come back whenever I can, okay?" I choked a little on my words.

"_Baby angel, one day, some day, you'll fly away. Baby angel, you'll fly today_." She sang as tears coursed down her cheeks.

We hugged one last time and I turned around to face the world. I looked over my shoulder as Mom said, "Good bye."

I smiled. "This isn't goodbye. We'll see each other again."

We exchanged loving looks and finally, I whispered,

"I love you." Then I jumped off into the cold, dark, early morning air.

I Looked back quickly to see mom waving to me. I turned my head back around and felt warm tears streaming down my face as frozen air whipped me.

I set my head forward and my shoulders back as I thought, I'm finally coming, Terra and Shadow. I'll be there soon.

And with that, I was gone.

…~…

**MoonSparrow: (Sobs) Oh that was so sad…. I liked it though. **** Finally I wrote it at least. Well there y'all go. I hope you enjoyed. Comment me with your thoughts and opinions. I'm always glad to here what you think. Byez! See y'all soon! (Waves and smiles) **


	7. Death Valley, Here I Come!

**MoonSparrow: Hello all! Welcome to the next chapter of Always A Chance! WOOO. I know this is waaaaay over due but, * sigh * yeah. You guys I am really sorry that I am incapable to publish things on a regular basis. I feel as though I can't make any excuse. I can't really say anything about life like stuff 'cause not much happens and I know that there are peeps out there that FIND time everyday to write a chappie. And honestly I'm getting super tired of having to write an apology every time I do make another chapter. So, forgive me and let me know what ya' think.**

**Okay, with that, let's begin!**

…~…

Mr. Collins, (still smiling widely) was semi-hurriedly packing things as he looked back and forth between his bags and the early morning sky.

"Yes. Yes, sir. Of course, w-we'll be right on our way soon. Uh-huh. Yes, yes sir. And a good day to you too sir. Good-bye." Mr. Taylor hung up his cell phone as he packed his things. He was still in a daze from the sight,

"We will be popular! We're gonna be po-hopular! And wrmph." Mr. Collins had begun to sing when Mr. Taylor shoved a sock (not his of course) into Mr. Collins' mouth.

"I told you. No theater music in the morning." Jacob grunted.

"Pa-tioo! Gross! Where'd ya' find that?" Collins replied.

"Hurry up. We need to leave," Jacob checked his watch. "Now."

They finished cleaning up and they set off for California, home of earthquakes, beautiful beaches, and the oh so ever dreaded School.

…~…

The sun had started to just barely peek through the clouds. It was only a slight relief from the dark cold. I shivered again.

I quickly descended into a heavily wooded area that found was a national park like thing from the sign I saw. It read: "Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Death Valley: 9 miles."

I quietly gasped. "Death Valley? That's were the school is!" I whispered to myself. Quickly I calculated it in my head. "If I fly that'll only take, about fifteen minutes! I'll be there in no time. I rested for about ten minutes, just to catch my breath. Then I Shot up to the sky and sat atop a tree.

"I'm almost there. Your hero is coming." I whispered to the clouds. Then, I shot off into the sky and was air-born once again.

**MoonSparrow: Finally, getting there! I know it's short but I have a lot of stuffs I gots to do right now so I'll See y'all soon! Byez! (Smiles and Waves)**

…**.Oh, and I'll be starting a Harry Potter fic in the near future. Oh and I'm not gonna continue 'till I get 10 reviews. So hurry and press that button!**

**I gotta go but one more thing…..Happy Halloween!**


	8. Ch: 8 Fly away, my baby angel

**MoonSparrow: Hello! I know I've put this off for a while but now I'm back! *Confetti* I should probably try to save Terra and erm, Shadow now, don't ya think? Oh, update on Sparrow's Life! Terra, Shadow, and I are all in our school's talent show! It's going to be fun! … I auditioned for the musical, too. I don't know anything yet though. I'm going to try to come on a lot more often, okay guys? Again, sorry.**

**Terra: You think "sorry" will cover leaving me at the school for about a year? You are just lucky I'm still alive!**

**MoonSparrow: … You know, since it's my story, … wouldn't that mean that you couldn't be dead unless I chose you to be?**

**Terra: … Hey, Sparrow, where's Shadow, huh? She, uh, she should be here, shouldn't she Sparrow? Or is there something you aren't telling your beloved readers? *Motions to readers* Oh that's right, I know what it is! And I can tell them, too. *Points to readers* _ *Faces readers* Okay, so Shadow i-**

**MoonSparrow: "GO-GO GADGET BATTLE AXE!" *battle axe appears in Sparrow's hands***

**Terra: aw, crap!**

**MoonSparrow: *****chases Terra with axe* **

***Kisshu from Tokyo Mew Mew teleports in* Kish: MoonSparrow doesn't own Tokyo Mew Mew. . Okay, let's begin with a new chapter of One Stormy Night!**

**MoonSparrow and Terra together: WRONG STORY, YOU BAKA!**

…**~…**

"Dog-boys, dog-boys. Whatcha' gonna do? Whatcha' gonna do? Whatcha' gonna do when I kick your boot? Dog-boys, dog-boys." I sang to myself as I flew toward the school. "I'm a super-freak! And I'm going to save you Terra and Shadow!" I shouted.

After towns with speckled trees showing up every now and then, a secluded, dense forest took me by surprise. _There's the school. _I thought bitterly. I tilted myself downward as I began to plummet toward the school. _This is where the school began, and this is where it is going to come crashing down! Shadow, Terra; your lives are about to become what they should've been before the whitecoats took you. Only, with some wings and me included._ I thought as the dreaded building and thousands of almost forgotten memories rushed forward and into view.

"Well, here it goes. Baby Angel is grabbing her sword. This means war."

…~…

"Finally, Jacob, 13 is finally awake!" Mr. Collins exclaimed as the black Toyota Avalon raced down the road toward California. Driving at definitely what was not the speed limit, they were flying through Wyoming and into Utah.

Mr. Taylor, whom was very tense at this point, made very little effort to answer in depth to his companion. His pencil line mouth barely moved when he spoke. "Yes, yes, very enthralling. What is the time?"

"Three thirty." Mr. Collins replied staring at the digital car clock.

"Good. We'll arrive by six o'clock. Five thirty if we go even faster." Jacob said with a mischievous smile as he stepped even more on the gas pedal.

"We are definitely getting a ticket." Mr. Collins said with a smile. "But this is the best way to get one!"

…~…

I landed in the forest and folded in my wings. _How in the world am I going to get in there?_ I realized. Without a second thought, I marched straight ahead and entered the building, only to face a very surprised looking secretary and few whitecoats with the same expression. Though, some had anger and disbelief replace it after the shock began to where off. I quickly glanced at the clock. _Four o'clock. Not another second will you two spend in this prison, Alexis and Terra!_ Tension was rising until I made a snap decision they least expected.

"Can I use your bathroom, please?" I said in a higher, complaining voice as I started to kind of bounce back and forth. I had to bite my lip not to laugh at their faces. _Priceless!_

…~…

"Sixty, Seventy, Eighty, Eighty five, ninety, whoa! I didn't know this thing could go that fast!" Mr. Collins exclaimed as the needle on the speed meter moved farther and farther to the right.

"Tell anyone I did this and I'll find a really angry Eraser for you." Mr. Taylor said over the sound of the road zipping past under them. He glanced at the digital glowing lines that made numbers for the car clock. _Four o'clock, where are we? Can't be running behind._ "Where are we, Collins?"

Collins fumbled a second with the map before replying. "We are currently passing through Carson City, more commonly known as the capital of Nevada. Ah, Nevada, home to Las Vegas; city of lights, gambling, and the most fun night had-"

"Would you shut up, Collins? You can play reminiscing tour guide when you are at home watching yet another James Bond movie." _Idiot! We'll be in Death Valley in no time!_

…~…

I told those idiots I was taking a hike in the National Park, (A/N: Death Valley is actually a national park. Scary right? XD) and I got lost and that I really needed to use the bathroom. The whitecoats being the not very clever people they are, obliged to letting me use the bathroom. "Thanks!" I shouted as I ran to the bathrooms and bolted inside. I locked myself in one of the stalls and stood on the back of the toilet. I sat there to think. I had about ten minutes and they said they wanted m to come straight back there after I was done to "make sure I made it back." Geez. How stupid do they think I am? Then again, that voice did sound like I was missing a few crayons in the box.

_I know! I'll leave deep enough into the woods so that they can't see me and then I'll circle around to the cages and save those guys with a minimal number of Erasers trying to eat us! Perfect! I've got this down. And to think, I was completely oblivious to all this about a month or something ago. … Why did I forget all this, and how?... Enough pondering, you have work to do, Jae!_ I listened to hear no one else in the room so I jumped down and got out of the stall. I turned on the faucet and swished a towel under for a split second before tuning off the faucet and leaving.

I walked back to the entrance and I saw that two of the whitecoats had left. "Thanks a bunch! I needed that. Hehe! Well, I'd better go. Thanks again, bye!" I just began to leave when something happened that I didn't expect at all.

…~…

"We are in the national park. Yes, sir, we are parking as fast as possible. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Goodbye." Mr. Taylor hung up his cell phone as they parked the car and shot out of it. "Come on, Collins, we can't afford messing this up!" They ran as fast as they could to the entrance of the building. They burst through the front doors and four pairs of eyes shot straight at them. They stared wide-eyed at the young black haired girl by the doors.

A gasp and dead silence filled the chilling and suspenseful air.

…~…

Two panting men came bursting in through the doors. I oddly enough recognized the older one. I remember him taking me when I was a baby, and he was the one that came up to my and Terra's cages.

…~…(super quick flashback)

_"Experiment 13 is going home."_

…~… (end of flashback)

I gasped. "You!" I shouted. _How could he be here now? _I was panicking. This was not good.

"E-Experiment 13 is here? She-she's _here?_"

A few gasps escaped from behind me. Well, the secrets blown, time for sarcasm!

"Yeah, it's me." I said in my "regular" voice. They gasped again and looked at me in disbelief. "I'm not a giraffe, you know. It really isn't very strange for a person to talk, is it?"

"Why don't we just nab her?" I heard the younger whitecoat next to Mr. "Conclude A Life" Collins whisper.

"Of course, just be patient." Collins said.

"Just because you're talking like this, doesn't mean I can't hear you." I said in a mocking whisper.

With a quick silent whisper sent to the younger one next to Collins, he walked over to the secretary's desk.

_ Hmm,_ I thought. _What can I possibly use for a weapon? Too bad there's no pause button to go buy a sword like all those video games._ I giggled to myself, then mentally slapped myself for taking this so lightly.

"What possibly made you want to come back?" Collins said obviously confused.

"What's it to you? You're just interested in dissecting me like a middle school science project and turning me into a tri-species monster or a mechanical weapon! A weapon made to murder, no, to _slaughter_, innocent people. You know, like your best friend, my _father_!"

Collins chuckled which made my rage boil close to the surface. "Oh, so the little hybrid got angry and came for revenge, did she?" He chuckled again as if this were amusing to him. _That scuzzwad!_

"At least I can come through on a promise. And at least I don't have to drive at over a hundred thirty five miles per hour to get where I'm going. Finally, you made something useful. Tell me, how much do those white lab coats, "medical degrees", and chemistry sets cost you at Target, huh, Colly?" I loved seeing the anger dance in his blue eyes.

"If childish jokes are what you are after," I was surprised to see a evil grin slither onto his face. ",why don't you and Okri* (A/N I have no idea who came up with this name but it wasn't I.) spend some time together? After all, you both have a lot to catch up on." I turned around and there was a large, quite good-looking boy, about a foot taller than I. I could see his face starting to contort into the evil wolf-y grin of his. This was Okri; I had met him before I left. The day before, he was taken in for some "special experimenting." He didn't show up after that so, I didn't know what happened to him. _Well, now I know,_ I thought sarcastically.

"You sure got short." He growled. Why was he joking with me? That was something we used to say to each other every once in a while when we were trying to cheer up the other. Okri and I were great old buddies together those couple of years. How was it possible that the one I thought of as my brother, and the one closest to it, be turned into a monster like an Eraser? My thoughts were interrupted by the younger guy next to Collins.

"Okri, maybe you could show our, 'guest' to her 'room'." He chuckled a bit.

"Collins?- ." Okri's face showed a look of almost pleading; as if he didn't want to hurt me.

"Yes. Taylor is right. Do as he says. … Now, Okri." He finished when Okri didn't move.

"_Okri?" I softly asked.

"Sorry, Jae," his voice, though rough, did indeed sound genuine.

"It's okay, Okri. See ya later." I made a weak smile. Then, as I began to bolt out of there, I was hit with something sharp. Suddenly, I felt really dizzy and everything was going black. _Aw, crap._ I thought as the world spun and swished backward while I feel unconscious as I fell to the floor. "See you, from behind bars."

…~… (third person; Mr. Taylor)

Mr. Taylor couldn't believe what had happened in the last hour. Not only had he gone from the cool-headed smart one to the timid and confused intern, but he had seen his companion in a way he had never seen before. _Whenever he talked to me he usually joked around, lagged behind, and such of the sort. But, when faced with the "legendary" Experiment 13, he was the leader, he was sly and slick and talked to her as if they were old, …rivals or something._ Taylor thought to himself. _How is that even possible? I must talk with him, how he does it I must know! Watch out you bratty Experiment 13! With my companion, Mr. Ethan Collins, we'll be unstoppable!_

…~…

Sedative induced dreams can be pretty strange. First I was drinking tea with the cookie monster. We were sitting on the harbor somewhere when a giant fish sprang out of the water yelling "Thomas and Savy say hi!" *wink* Then a neon green Pac-Man was cruising around, eating all the cookies. Cookie monster went berserk and tried to bake Pac-Man at 375(degrees like on an oven) until golden brown and had a vanilla center. I was flipping out so I transported to China and won the Olympics.

Weird, right?

Anyways, I woke up to a darkness with such tiny light that closing your eyes had more light. I sat up in a very familiar dog crate. In fact it _was __the_ one I had when I was younger. I rubbed my head as I looked across the hall and looked into the crate that was there. A small, frail form lay motionless there. _I guess hope and help came too late for that one. I sure hope Terra and Alexis didn't end up like that. Poor thing. This one even looks like Terra a little._

I looked at the back of their cage and saw the thing was covered with white streaks. _Geez. What are those for? There sure are a lot of them._

I strained my eyes a little more and saw that this girl's hair was a light brown color under the years of pain it was obviously frayed under. It was cut choppily in length but was in layers. She was probably my age and a little taller.

_Wow, she's exactly like Terra! Wait, no! No, no, no! It, she, cou-couldn't be! Oh, please no!_ It _was_ Terra! I began to sob softly.

"Crying doesn't ease the pain. Sometimes it just makes it worse. 'You never know how strong you are until being strong is all you can be.' An old friend told me that." A shaky voice permeated over to my crate and I stopped my little pity-fest.

_"You never know how strong you are until being strong is all you can be." I-I said that to Terra all those years ago. Wait,_

"Terra? Is that you?" I whispered.

"I've watched the skies," I heard a slight smile peer into her voice. "and not a single bloody bird was my hero. 'Watch the skies.' She says. Well, welcome back, my hero. And what a gracious entrance."

"Oh, Terra! I am so sorry that I forgot all about you two! I started slowly to regain all these memories and I just came as fast as I could! I'm so-o-o-o SORRY!" I was bawling now.

"I was wondering if they had put a sleeper on you." She said quietly.

"A, s-sleeper?" I asked.

"It's not the technical term, but who needs those, right? Sleepers are these memory 'suppressers' so to speak. They make you forget things and I guess they are only temporary. Yours only took ten years to wear off. You were a lucky one, though."

"How was I lucky?" _A winged freak and at the school, that doesn't seem very lucky to me._ I thought.

"Well, for some, it can have serious effects. Including, for most, death. The solution is in a rather lethal looking syringe, too. A full vile can kill a grown man within about five minutes. They used a smaller amount on you, but it still lasted a long time. When you finally 'woke up' the two whitecoats that were sent to watch you over the years sent a report and watched extra carefully to see what else would happen. Evidentially, you took a test-flight with your wings and Collins and Taylor saw you. Again, they sent reports, and followed you here to try and catch you. And in an unfortunate set of events, they succeeded." She breathed a heavy breath to regain what she lost in that "speech"

"…wow…" I was speechless, sort of. "How do you know all this?"

"Eaves-dropping comes in handy. Thievery also." She giggled.

"Hey, w-what happened to Okri?" I had to know.

"Isn't it obvious? They Eraserfied him but he is still the same as before you left; can't hurt a fly."

"Hey, um ,they haven't moved the cages around at all, have they?"

"No, why?"

"Well, I just wanted to say a long overdue hello to Alexis. Where is she?" I missed her, so I wanted to say hi.

"Look as much as you want. You won't find her here." Terra's voice became sullen. That wasn't a good sign.

"W-why? Where'd they put her?"

"She's not here at all, man. She broke out three years ago. I've been almost alone the whole time. Except for Okri. He still stops by ever now and again.

"She-she's gone? W-well, do you know where?" I was starting to lose a little faith.

"If I knew where she was, it would be because I was there with her. But now that you're here, we can solve that mystery together once we bust out of here."

"Y-yeah." "Now just how?" Yes, because after my first plan dispersed and crumbled I couldn't figure out a new plan yet.

"Maybe like last time," Terra begins. I make a face in the dark of contorting my face as to try and remember. She must have super sight because she then called me on it. "You don't remember, do you? I guess the memories are still slowly drifting back. Note to self: sleepers drag out memory return after wearing off."

"Hey how cold you see my face in this blinding darkness?"

"You can't? Can you do anything from before?" Terra asked and paused for a second and I could tell she was staring through the wall of blackness at me. "Of course not! How did you even fly here? I guess the 'abilities' are going to be just like your memories; coming back slowly. Hmm, maybe you just need to be re-taught how. Here, look at me and focus. Then smile when you can see me, okay?"

"Okay." I shifted a little in my cage and concentrated. All I could see was something very square and gray. What the wings? "I can see something but unless your face is a gray wall, it's not you." I say.

"That's because you are facing the back of your cage. You _are_ looking at a wall. Turn around you silly girl." Terra remarked.

I turned and could see her properly now. _Look at what you've done to her! She looks like you could blow and she'd crumble into dust._ I thought. Then I remembered to smile.

"See! You'll be just the same as you were in no time." She said cheerfully.

"Yeah, no time." I said with a drop of doubt. _I don't know what the "old me" was like! How am I supposed to be a leader of any kind if I can't remember anything? I'm supposed to save _you_, Terra! And here you are, re-teaching me how to do everything like I'm a coma patient! I just hope you don't hate me because it took me so long, you're almost dead, and you have to lead me like a toddler._

…~…

Well, it was day two in Hades, and we found a way out. I'm proud to say that I made up most of this plan. We are both scheduled for the mazes tomorrow, (Terra heard stole the whitecoats' planning thing.) so we'll play along and go to the mazes. After about two rounds, we'll wreak havoc. On the third maze, we'll pretend to faint, or mess with their visuals of us, or the shock-y things will become, he he, "retired." Well, it's the night before and we are getting as much sleep as we can. A sleepy bird girl is often not a happy bird girl. Or a very good flyer.

…~…

It's the day we bust out and I'm pumped. In about a half an hour, whitecoats will come for us and that's when fun begins.

My door opens and the whitecoat stretches in to pull me out. Once I'm standing, he tries to grab my arm but I yank it away and walk slightly behind him. I quick look back to see Terra doing the same. _Phase one complete._

Trip, Zap! Trip, Zap! Run into wall, ZAAAPP! I seemed to have a reoccurring theme going on. Finally I find the end, sweating, panting, and smelling quite crispy.

"Experiment 13 is finished with the maze." A voice says over the loud speaker. I go sit and drink some water while they redesign it. _Phase two complete. Phase three about to commence._ I think to myself as I heavily drink water.

I'm pushed back out and I'm ready to go this time, pumped with adrenaline. I bolt in and right away find a loose piece of the wall. I stopped to start ripping it off. They started to shock me really hard but I wouldn't give in or up. I ripped the piece of and in two. The first half I had was sharp, narrow, and pointy. I used it to quickly unlock the anklets then, to avoid suspicion, I ran a little farther.

This is when I pulled out the second piece, which was a lot larger and heavier. I faced where they watch us through a glass window in a room. Using my hybrid strength, I hurtle it as hard as I can at the window where most of the whitecoats, aside from one, were. I see the momentary crash as Terra's giant wad and mine both collide into the room, knocking frantic whitecoats over with a loud _Crash!_ And much screaming.

_Ah, music to my ears._ I throw out my wings and shoot up to again see Terra doing the same. We wink and dash out, heading to the giant window at the side. We grab hands and yell

"One. Two. Three!" and we crash through the window, littering glass everywhere below. Sirens are blaring and I start to search frantically and Terra does the same only at my face to find why I'm dawdling in mid-air like we are.

"Okri." I say. She nods and we spot him.

Swooping down, I smile at him and shout, "Need a lift?" He smiles back and we scoop him up and off. Suddenly, I feel something zooming past all around me as I hear Terra screaming. (Yep, more screaming.)

Bullets. They were shooting at us.

"Now what, hero?" Terra shouts over the noise.

I smirk. "I guess we'll just have to, _wing it._" She smirks and Okri throws something down at them. They look like rocks but, I don't ask. We fly as high as possible while carrying a who-knows-how-heavy Eraser between us and as far away too. My last glimpse at the place is glinting glass everywhere, Erasers hopping with rage, whitecoats shouting at each other, and, to top it all off, Mr. Ethan Collins watching silently and very still-like as we fly away in our daring escape.

…~…

We flew for hours. I suppose we reached Nevada or something. I just couldn't help but smile as we talk and hollered into the skies.

"I've got to admit, that was pretty kick butt awesome!" Okri exclaimed from below. Dang, he was getting heavy.

"I'm out! Free at last! Free at last! You saved me, Sparrow! You _saved_ me!" Oh, thank you sooooo much! I love you forever, you know that, right? And I am so happy that you came back! Free. At. LAST! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!" She shouted and even cried and I cried too, just because I'm a softie like that. We flew off into the evening sun chanting and laughing and crying some more. Now all we needed to do was find Shadow, and our family would be truly reunited. Today was probably the happiest and most intense day of my life. And I loved every second of it! 3

…~… (Terra)

She came. She CAME. She came! Oh my hero finally saved me from my dying day. I hope I never have to see those chalk stripes ever again. I'm finally going to be alive. Be able to enjoy life and wonder what tomorrow's sunrise will bring. I'll never forget this feeling of happiness and warmth. This feeling of us all together and happy. Finding Shadow will just add to this bliss. Oh, I still can't believe it, she came and she saved me! Not only that, she _remembered _and _she loved._

My last thought as we drift away into the fading colors of the disappearing sun were, _I am finally free.3_

…

**MoonSparrow: eh, eh? * starts crying* So beautiful! I'm not being arrogant; I'm just very pleased and proud of what and how much I wrote. This took about three, four days. It was fun though. Oh, and do you guys think I should have any love interests in here? I'll be adding characters later. Let me know whatever you think, good and bad. Thank you all for being so nice and patient. It really makes me want to keep writing. Well, this should cover for however long I didn't write for, right? I usually write/type three or four pages max. This was eight pages long. Now anything you want in or out or needs improvement, just comment and say whatever you think. Again, thanks, it really means a lot. I love you guys! Byez! 3 XD**

**Terra: * tied up on floor* Yeah, this was pretty good. Bye you guys!**

"_Love never fails."_


	9. Teaching only gets me death threats

**MoonSparrow: Wow. I miss it here. Hello, fellow fanfictioners! Not a whole lot has changed for me, actually. Our house is being painted. It's gween. :3 Oh, I was in a pageant! **** It was fun. I didn't win but that's okay! **** I found out that I like Caribou Coffee. That's pretty much it for now. Okay, now let's get on with a long over due chappie of Always a Chance.**

**Let's begin with chapter nine of Always a Chance. **

…**~…**

"No, no. Terra, _this_ is how you do it. You quickly slide the match, that's the hard, rough thing at the end of a stick, against this rock, that's the round, hard rough thing here. You keep that up until sparks show up. A spark is a little friction caused light. The spark will eventually set the match on fire. You use the match to set alight the dry leaves, paper, wood, or whatever." I was holding up everything and explaining it all to Terra. Being stuck in a cage and tortured teaches you how to survive and fight. Unfortunately, it doesn't show you how to do much of anything else. So, I'm teaching Terra about everything she missed.

" Okay, let me try now. Like this? Oh, er, oops. Sorry. Oh, look a sperk, no a spark! See! See? Sparrow, I did it! It's fire, fir- owwww!" Terra accidentally burned herself.

"Here, I got it." I gave her a bit of water for her hand and I cleaned up her mess. Okri was watching, amused, in the co**r**ner. (A/N sorry, the r and n looked like an m)

"You wanna try?" I asked him as he chuckled to himself.

"I definitely don't have the kind of patience you do." Okri replied with a smile as he stood and made his way over.

"Okay, I got it. There. Hey, I did it! Look! Sparrow, look! I did it!" Terra exclaimed. I laughed a little before answering.

"Yep, you sure did, Terra." I tossed a bundle over to Okri. He looked at me slightly confused, but still smiling.

"Do something useful. Pitch the tent." I looked down, then back at him. "You _do_ know how, right?" I really hoped he did. _'Cause that's all I need,_ I thought_, yet another kid to teach._

"Not really, but I'll try. Can't guarantee that it won't fall to pieces. You'll have to pick 'em all up then." He smiled that silly Okri, little kid smile of his. For whatever reason, I felt like he wasn't only talking about the tent.

"Fair enough." I turned my head and attention back to Terra, although, my mind was really still on his words.

"What's next, Jae?" Terra's voice drew me back from my thoughts.

"Oh! Um, well, what would you like to do?" I didn't think too far ahead as to what to do.

"Hmm," She looked up into the sky with the sunlight gleaming in her eyes. An excited, almost child-like, gleam was dancing through her eyes. "You could tell me about, erm, 'nature' did you call it?" She smiled again.

"Yeah, sure." I pointed to a bug skirting to and fro in front of us, "See that? That's called a dragonfly. They like floating over calm-ish water like this lake we're sitting by." I explained and pointed to the mirroring water's surface beside us.

"Wow. What's that black and yellow fat thing?" She said, pointing at a bee that was floating lazily near by.

"That's a bumble bee. Bees pollinate flowers, like those ones over there." I gestured to some daisies and other flowers near where Okri was trying, unsuccessfully, to set up the tent.

"Hey, Jae?" Terra said softly.

"Yeah?"

"What does 'pollinate' mean?"

"Pollination is when the bees take the pollen from one flower and carry it to the next. And the next, and the next and so on. It keeps the flowers alive and pretty and I think the bees also carry some pollen back with them to their hives and make it into honey." I really felt like a teacher now. I also felt older, like, I was supposed to be a substitute mother to Terra and Okri or something. It felt odd.

"How do you know all this?" Okri called from behind.

"Um, school, I guess. From books, teachers, TV, my mom," The world caught halfway in my throat. I looked down and two, small silver tears slid, glistening in the daylight, down to the forest floor. I shook it off and smiled as I looked back up at Terra who looked curiously at me.

"Hey Jae?"

"Yeah?"

"What's a 'TV?'" And so the day went on like this for a few hours until night fell. Eventually, I helped Okri pitch the tent the rest of the way. He got about halfway and got stuck…in the tent. We laughed and ate together that night. I taught Terra how to fish and how to cook the giant one she caught. I think she was even more surprised than the fish!

_Mom would be proud._

That one thought repeated itself through the night. I felt truly like a mother to those two. _I wonder how mom's doing?_ Another thought replaced that when I shook away the first. _I wonder where Shadow is?_

Little did I know, that somewhere, not so far away, she was wondering the same about us.

…~…

_Is Terra okay? Did Sparrow ever come back? Did Terra ever escape? Why did I ever just leave her there? _These thoughts have tormented me since about a week or two after leaving that retched School.

_If it hurts so badly, go back. Save them. _A voice in my head told me.

"Are you kidding? That would be suicidal." I said aloud to myself.

_So is leaving them there, stranded._ I thought again.

"What good would getting caught do? Although, I can't really rely on Sparrow, now can I?"

_After seven years of being free, she never once came back. She broke her promise._

"True. She forgot all about us. But, Terra. She's all alone. I wonder what she looks like now?" I shook off the previous thoughts, sending my dark brown hair swishing in front of my deep, almost black, eyes.

_Starved, scared, near death, probably_. My subconscious thought.

"What am I supposed to do?" I said banging my fist on the wall as I stopped pacing. I stared out at a Colorado city street view. I found this temporarily empty cabin, house like place at the edge of a city in Colorado. I couldn't stay for long but it worked for now. I closed the curtains as the sun sunk low and the distant streetlights came on. I went outside and hopped onto the roof. I shot out my very dark brown wings and launched myself high, letting the streaming wind clear my mind.

_This is how it should be,_ I thought to myself. _Flying is the best._ I looped back around and landed on an empty dock at a nearby lake. I could see across it and saw the city lights reflecting as little glowing balls on the black mirroring surface.

"I'm making a pact right now." I puffed out an angry breath. "I promise that I, Alexis Shadow, will make that back stabber, Jaena Sparrow, pay for just leaving us. If I ever run into her one day- no, I'll find her, track her down and I'll honestly kill that girl."

…~…

That night was a little uneasy for me. I couldn't sleep so I took first watch. I had the uncanny sense that any moment of freedom could be our last. As though one single breath could set it off. I sat outside the entrance to the tent. I smiled as I poked the remnants of our fire and remembered the last thing Terra said she wanted to learn that day.

_"I want to fly. Like you can, better than how I can now." _

I merely smiled and nodded but her smile grew wider anyway. I love this girl. I still couldn't believe I had forgotten her. And I was still a little worried as to what was Shadow. Though I was starting to get a little miffed at her, too. Why didn't she at least hint at where she could've gone? I sighed as I looked across this Wyoming-Colorado border lake. (A/N I know there probably isn't a lake there. I kind of gave up on the whole correct-geography-thing so, sorry.) Also, if she escaped, why didn't she take Terra with her?

"When we meet up, Shadow is going to get a piece of my mind. And she'll preferably get that piece in her face." I gazed up the sparkling stars. One flashed past and I knew that if I had blinked it would've been gone.

"A shooting star." I breathed. I couldn't think of anything to wish for, which was a little surprising. "I wish to do well." I whispered into the silent breeze.

_Mom would be proud._

The thought echoed once more in my head before I slipped in the tent and fell asleep.

…~…

The next mo**r**ning we ate breakfast and cleaned up, then cleared out.

"Once we land in Colorado, I'll teach you more about flying. Okay, Terra?" I called as we were preparing to set off.

"Sure thing!" She smiled. I shouldered some of our things while Okri carried the tent. Terra and I each grabbed an arm and we launched into the sky. It was a little unsteady ay first but we evened out after a few minutes.

After about an hour of flying, we landed in a secluded forest, a ways away from a small city. We put down everything and just sat there for a little while. We were actually in this small cliff-cave-overhang thing overshadowing a large stretch of water.

"Okay," I broke the silence after about ten minutes. "You ready for some flying lessons, Terra?"

"Oh, sure! Yeah!" She bounded over.

I backed up, crouching slightly like a runner. "A running start is always a good idea." I called over. I wound up and then took off running the length of the cave and once I cleared the cave, I stretched my multicolored wings and gave three, strong beats and was soaring up and around the lake. I swooped down into the cavern again and smiled at Terra.

"Your turn."

She assumed the runner's position, leaned back and shot to the entrance. She launched herself out and spread out her large wings. She flew in a few circles before swooping back in.

"That wasn't much different than usual." Terra commented.

"You've done it alone. Wanna try it together?" I smiled and she nodded in reply.

We launched out, holding hands and spread our wins, careful not to collide them. We spun in a few circles, did loop-de-loops, and even danced a little mid-air. We shot up through the clouds and back down, laughing out our hearts. We looped back and slipped back inside the cave, panting, smiling.

"You look like you could use a shower." Okri remarked as he spotted our red, sweaty faces.

I laughed as we sat down and talked and relaxed for a while. All was well.

For now, anyway.

…~…

I woke up the next morning to here hoots and hollers coming from the direction of the lake.

_I guess people are coming for summer or whatever_. I thought groggily. I ran my fingers through my messy dark brown hair. I threw on my converse and quick took some granola bars from the pantry and ate one. I took off, eating the bar, toward the lake. I wanted to see who was here. _Just some kids, probably._ I thought again.

What I saw, however, shocked me.

Two girls, around my age, in the air, flying, with _wings._

_Terra?_ I instantly thought. I soared after them as they went back to an overhang.

_Could it really be?_

…~…

"Jae," Terra said. She had stopped laughing.

"What's up, Terra?" I asked, a little worry in my voice.

"She is." She replied, pointing.

"What do you -" I wondered aloud as I tu**r**ned around. I gasped despite myself.

In the sky was what would've seemed like a very large bird, but knowing better than that, I knew it was a hybrid like us. And it was steadily growing, coming toward us. And we had nowhere to run. My heart raced a little in panic. _We're cornered! _

I squinted against the sun. Again, despite myself the curiosity rose in me.

_Could it really be?_

…~…

She landed at the entrance to the cave. Her dark brown hair in front of one of her deep, dark, almost black eyes. She pulled in her huge dark wings slowly, almost hesitantly.

We stared each other down for a second. I heard a stifled gasp come from Terra. This stranger's eyes roved over to Terra and made what seemed to be a connection. Her eyes, which I had now noticed were actually just super dark brown, snapped back onto me with a new hatred burning in them. An inextinguishable fire, it seemed.

She took a step forward and I advanced a step in a defensive way, as well.

A cold, hungry smile sprouted on her face.

"It's been a long time. Sparrow." She seemed to growl.

"It sure has. Shadow." I smirked vengefully.

…~…

**MoonSparrow: Earlier today, I was laughing my head off re-reading older chapters and now I'm even on the edge of my seat. Ha ha. Even my silly dog is smiling. **** Well, you guys know the drill. Review. It felt good to be back on here. Listening to music on helped though. Okay. Well, see ya' next chappie! Love ya'll! **

**Hasta la Pasta! : 3**


	10. Something tells me she doesn't like me

**MoonSparrow: I felt like writing tonight, so I am doing so.**

**I've been feelin' pretty depressed lately so, I'm using writing as less expensive, shrink-less therapy.**

**I'm going to camp in a week. I'll miss all you fanfictioners. But I'll see you when I come home. Who knows, maybe I'll come back with another story? **

**Okay, so do you guys think anything should be added to this story? Also, sorry about the whole they-were-super-smart-when-they-were-two-thing. Actually, can you guys just forget that? She was there until she was four then. I really don't want to go back and have to rewrite it all so, erm, yeah! Thanks! **** Now I get to write a chick fight. This should be….fun. **

**Let's begin with chappie 10 (I think) of Always a Chance!**

…**~…**

"Shadow." I repeat seeing my old friend's eyes boring a whole straight through me it seems.

"Long time, no see, eh, Sparrow?" Her growl made her seem wild. And scary, but don't tell anyone I said that or, _you'll_ be the one with the death threat.

"I suppose." I involuntarily pushed Terra back and Shadow and I began circling each other. Sizing each other up like predator and prey or, like a pair of bloodthirsty wolves. Gee, don't you just love my analogies?

"Oh, _now_ you seem to care about her." Shadow spat venomously.

"What do you mean by that?" I spat back. Was she _trying_ to piss me off more?

"Shadow, it's not her fault!" Terra screamed from behind Okri.

"You don't know what you are talking about, Terra!" Shadow shot at her. I threw a punch at her.

"How _dare_ you talk to her that way!" My hand connected with Shadows nose. Red began to ooze from it.

"How dare I? How dare I!" Thus the brawl began. _This chick ran out on Terra, not even considering a look back, I bet. And she has the nerve to come back at me like this?_ I feel her murderous glare start to rub off onto me.

"I was at least there!" She screams at me. "I comforted her and talked her through some pretty harsh times. I swear you were like a dream that she fought to be true! Never did she give up on you for one lousy freaking second! She'd even started marking down every day when you didn't come on the back of her cage." _Oh, that's what those stripes were for…_

"I came back for her, though! I didn't escape and not even take a second glance!" I shout and throw a nasty kick to her stomach. She backed into the rock wall, bent slightly by the blow.

"You escaped. You didn't even try and help her out. You were given a freaking ticket home on a silver platter! We were stuck there for years!" Her face had gone red. Then again, that could be from a the blood gushing out…

"You didn't try and help her out either!" Another punch to her face, which she blocks.

"Really. Shadow! She couldn't help it! They gave her a really powerful Sleeper! She-it's jus- you don't understand!" Terra tried to shout from her corner.

"'DON'T UNDERSTAND?' I think I understand perfectly! This is something _you_ don't understand, Terra! You try to find the good in everyone, don't you? Do you even know who she is anymore? She doesn't even care about you! Why she even came back now at all is beyond me. You can't see that your fairytale hero is nothing more than make-believe! She forgot about you! She doesn't care!" Her rage boiled through and came out in a slicing kick she aimed for my feet. Luckily, I jumped in time to not be tripped but just in time to land a blow to her chest.

"Don't. Ever. Talk to her. Like _that_. Again." I seethed. I noticed Terra had tiny shimmering tears coursing down her face. _She is so screwed,_ I thought angrily toward Shadow.

"What now? Have I upset you? Good." Shadow said as she staggered to a stand again. She wiped blood from her mouth with the sleeve of her black sweatshirt. I was surprised at my strength. _I may be good,_ I think, bracing myself_, but she is, too._

Shadow charged forward, slamming her fist, full force, onto my eye. My left lens shatters and I can feel a black eye blooming.

"Well, damn." I rip my glasses from my face and send them skidding toward Okri. "Guess I'm not wearing those again." I mutter.

"Vision impaired much?" Shadow scoffed. Through my good eye I see her fine enough. I'm not _that_ blind.

I throw another kick toward her stomach but she's too fast. Shadow grabs me by my leg and pulls me toward her, pulling my leg back, trips me and throws me to the ground. I get a face full of cave floor and I hear her cackle above and I receive another blow to the side, knocking the wind out of me.

As Alexis goes for another kick, I spring into action. I roll toward her the moment she lifts her leg high enough. I roll into her leg that is keeping her standing, thus knocking her off balance. While she falls down, I spring up and grab the back other sweatshirt, stopping her from falling. I spun her around by her waist; catching her, face forward toward me. I grab the front of her clothes and punch her face, giving her, what I hoped to be, a black eye to match my own.

Shadow staggered and fell into the rock wall, again, behind her. She looked like crap. I couldn't help but smirk. I took a three second breather, meaning that I didn't even flinch for like three seconds.

Shadow seemed to have regained her breath so, she straightened up as much as she could and came at me. I was ready for a nasty retaliation but what really happened surprised me more than if a neon pink T-rex popped out of the wall at that very moment.

…~…

Okay, so, Sparrow and I were beating the crap out of each other. We're about evenly matched. I won't bore you with my re-encounter of the fight.

Anyway, we were going at each other steadily for a while, and I was starting to wonder when this would be over, when something happened that even she didn't expect, I think.

…~…

Before either of us knew what was going on, Terra had slipped out from behind Okri and stepped between us, putting us each at arms length from her.

"St-stop fighting!" She yelled. I saw the tears had continued to flow down her face. "You two are being idiots, complete and utter morons!" She shouted pushing us both with surprising strength toward separate cave walls. "What the crap is wrong with you?" Terra yelled. She wasn't facing either of us, so who knows who she was talking to. Both of us maybe?

"Terra-" I began. Terra turned onto me.

"You are fighting the other friend you were expecting to save! Why are you trying to bloody kill her?" I could see something dance across her face. Was it pain? Anger? I couldn't tell.

"Terra-" Shadow tried. Again, Terra turned on her.

"You're no better! And I don't appreciate being yelled at and told that I don't understand! She came back to save the both of us! The only reason it took her so long was the whitecoats made it that way. They gave her a very powerful sleeper that only started to wear off like earlier this month! As soon as she could, she left her home, where she lived what was probably a great life with her mom and dad, to come save us, well, me!" I had winced when she said my dad. It was from both the word itself and the wounds I had received.

"So, she did forget?" Shadow asked warily.

"Gaahhh! Yes, but not out of choice! I appreciated all the times you were there for me but, honestly, you are being just a big jerk!" Her rage was easily boiling over now. An angry Terra was a scary Terra or, so I've learned.

"Now, the both of you make up right now! I f we're a team, we can fight! I'm serious!" I looked up and noticed that Shadow had been looking down shamefully, too.

I took a few steps forward so that I was beside Terra and in the middle of the room. I looked Shadow I the eyes. I extended my hand toward her.

"I'm sorry. For forgetting. And for, ya' know, beatin' you up." I said. A smile escaped my lips. The world seemed to freeze for a moment or two.

"I'm sorry, too." Shadow mumbled. She moved forward and shook my outstretched hand. _Well, now it begins_, I thought. (A/N hahah Love addict by Family Force Five is playing. I find this hilarious!)

"There. Now you get to know each other." Terra backed up and cracked a smile. I noticed Okri was smirking, too. Even Shadow had a small grin on her face.

"Well, I think we might have brought notice to ourselves, maybe we should leave." I say.

"Sounds good to me." Okri voiced.

"Where to?" Terra asked.

"Any ideas, Shadow? You've been on the run the longest." I threw to her.

"Caves, empty forests, and abandoned places work best." She said nonchalantly.

"Perfect. Should we heard further into Colorado? There are a lot of mountains here after all. Probably won't be hard to find a place." I consider this for a second. It's a solid point.

"To the Rockies!" Terra had regained herself, it seemed. We packed up everything, Terra and I took and arm each of Okri, and we waited for Shadow to move.

"You first." I told her.

She just nodded and took off. Terra, Okri and I followed suit.

…~…

Okay, so what I thought would kinda be a battle to the finish turned out in a truce. I guess we're all a team now. I have no idea what it is we are doing now. Well, besides flying to our next shelter.

"There." I say pointing to a deserted looking cavern. "That'll work." We all swoop down to the place I've found. We land and Okri takes the opportunity to put the bag and tent by the wall as he sits next to it, looking very bored. I guess flying isn't as fun with out wings.

"Hey, Sparrow, can you make a fire in a cave?" Terra asked Sparrow. She laughed.

"I think so. Have Okri help you this time though, okay?" Smiling, Sparrow turns and walks to the cave entrance, leaning against the wall. I wonder what "happened last time" for Terra and the fire as I walk over Sparrow.

I stand beside her. I could feel her body tense up.

"Need something?" She asked stiffly.

"I'm sorry. That I kinda tried to kill you and all. I was just pissed at myself so I pushed it off onto you, I guess. It was my fault." I looked down at the cave floor.

"We both share the blame." Sparrow's gaze hadn't left the sky. It was almost as if she was waiting for something. I could feel instant warmth from behind telling me that Okri and Terra were successful in their fire. (A/N Good Life by One Republic is playing. I think this is a good song for this scene. )

Sparrow looked back at them with a small, hiding smile. "Last time, she burnt herself." She laughed a little before turning back to the sky. We had flown for a while after fighting for a while so the night scene had taken over the sky. The question burned within me before it tumbled out onto my lips.

"What are you looking for?" I bit it back, unsure what had become of Sparrow. _Ah, crap,_ I thought, _I was with this girl for a couple of years but now I don't even know her._

"Nothing, really." Her words pulled me from my thoughts. "Just thinking, I found Terra, and now you, but it is just really weird. I knew you guys for so long, but now, it's as if we all just met. I really don't know what to do next." Her words basically were my thoughts. This freaked me out just a little bit.

"What do you see when you look at the night sky?" She faced me for the first time since our fight. Her eyes seemed clouded by thought and, sadness?

"Oh, um, I guess I've always just seen the sky. I, er, guess I've thought about flying and the freedom it gives me." _What an odd question_, I thought to myself. I _guess I really_ don't_ know her anymore_.

"Funny," Sparrow mumbled

"Huh?" I interrupted.

"-how much changes from something so small." She smiled. Her gaze returned to the night sky, scattered with stars. I could see the little dots of light reflecting in the dark parts of her eye. (i.e. pupil, iris.)

She sat down, still leaning against the wall. Still staring up. I followed and sat beside her. I could still sense that she was a little tense. I could see the black eye I had given her. It was looking pretty bad but she wasn't wincing, wasn't trying to stop the pain I knew had to be there. She wasn't even complaining. _She isn't a softie after all_.

"Just think of the stars." She said suddenly.

"What?" Was she always going to talk in metaphors ort what?

"Just one star in the sky would be very lonely. It wouldn't give the night much light because the earth and stars are so far apart. But, when the sky is scattered with stars like this, there is a lot of light. But even if one star alone isn't much, if one were to go out or, a shooting star went by, you'd notice." Her voice was quiet and steady, though it seemed like there was something hiding behind that dazed look and pleasant smile.

"I- I guess I don't really understand your point." I replied after a second.

"I guess I don't really have one." She said after a short silence.

"Oh." I no longer felt the boiling rage from before. A yearning to learn more about Sparrow, yes but nothing else, really. All that anger, rage, and adrenaline that burned through my veins and in my fists was gone. It left me feeling unnaturally cold and almost empty.

"You don't have to feel bad or anything." Sparrow said, breaking me from my thoughts.

"What do you mean?" It was almost as if she could read my mind.

"I forgive you for wanting to kill me. And for leaving Terra. As long as you can forgive me for both as well?" She seemed like she was super fragile or something.

"Yeah, of course I forgive you. And, uh, thanks." I mumbled the last part.

"Thank you, too. And no problem." I saw a small smile on her face. Then before I knew it, Sparrow leaned over and hugged me really tight.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered.

I returned the hug, a little confused. Then I realized that she meant for forgetting me. "It's okay." I whispered back.

…~…

After talking with Shadow for a while, we joined Terra and Okri by the fire. Terra was all excited that she made it first try without burning herself. We all laughed and talked together for a while. Eventually, everyone went to bed. I offered to take first watch again. No one objected though Shadow gave me a weird look. Oh, well.

I sat at the entrance like I did hours before, staring at the night sky. I felt a single, lonely silver tear slide down my cheek. I looked down and saw it glisten in the moonlight before it hit the cave floor. Still, the same thought as before resounded in my head.

_Mom would be proud_.

_Yeah, she would be_. I thought to myself and I smile to the night and the passing fireflies.

_She really would be_.

…~…

**MoonSparrow: Geez-a-lou! I feel like this was a really sappy chapter… Oh well. I've never written a fighting action-y scene before. I kinda liked it. I thought it was just funny that I was listening to really happy, uplifting music while I wrote it. XD **

**Okay, so guys, I'm getting a little miffed. So, I'm not updating until I get ****at least **** 25 reviews. Okay? Thanks! Oh, and please don't make it the little one sentence "great chapter update" thing. Tell me what you thought! Did it suck? Did it make you wanna puke? Then tell me that! Thank you. See you soon! Love ya'! Byez! 3**


	11. Writing teaches patience:P

**MoonSparrow: Okay. You guys, I gave up on the whole stupid 25 reviews because apparently no one wants to review anymore. So, thank you, PhoenixShadow101, for being the only one to review. Shae, your review counts for 25. **

** Life has been… pretty uneventful for me lately, actually. Um, I got hooked on Naruto. I'm up to episode 79, I think. I go back to school in a few days. But I'm kinda excited and kinda not. I'm walking in face-first, though, so oh well. **

** Oh, also, I was thinking about it a few weeks ago and I realized there are a lot of plot holes in this story. Oops. I'll either fix them or steamroll right over 'em. **

** Okay, well, let's begin with chapter 11 is it? Of Always a Chance.**

…**~…**

"I guess I didn't really think this far ahead." I said embarrassedly the next morning. Terra had asked what we were going to do next. I didn't have a clue. "Um, we could just find somewhere else to camp for the night and then you and I can do more lessons." I told Terra.

"Okay!" she answered.

"Sounds good to me." Okri threw from the corner where he was packing stuff up.

"Why not?" Shadow shrugged from where she was leaning against the wall.

"Then, it's decided. We'll find somewhere else and hang out, I guess."

We took off and headed west. A few minutes later we landed in yet another cave. I'm seeing a pattern here…

I set everything up and then went over to Terra. "What do you want to learn today?"

She considered it for a second. "Teach me how to write." She replied at last.

"We don't have anything for you to write on or with." I pointed out.

Terra pointed to a tree and some dirt by the entrance of this cavern. "I can use a stick or whatever to write in the dirt." She stated. Fair point.

…~…

"I'll write the alphabet first, okay?" I said, getting to work on a lower case "a."

"Sparrow?" Terra murmured.

"Hm?"

"What's the alphabet?" I sat up.

_This is gonna be harder than I thought_.

…~…

Sparrow was getting frustrated, I could tell.

For the past hour and a half, she had been trying to teach Terra about writing and the alphabet and such. I'll admit she was hiding her frustration very well. And, she taught well. I listened in because I didn't know how to write very well, either.

"Shae, you can come and sit over here, too. I'll teach you, too, if you want." Sparrow called over to me. I came over and sat on the cave floor to listen and learn with Terra. I knew a little about it so maybe I could help.

"Okay, Terra. And, you too, Shae. Write the alphabet in front of you. As much as you know or can remember." Sparrow said, gesturing to each of us in turn. I wrote the entire thing before Terra had even gotten to the letter "g."

Terra's "c" looked like a backwards "d" and she had two "e"s.

Sparrow helped and for the next hour we learned how to write our names. I could practically see the strain on her patience. She didn't yell or freak out once, though. That's Sparrow for you, I guess. We learned how to write our names at least. Though sloppy, they are still readable.

…~…

It took forever to teach those two letters and how to write their names. I suddenly had more respect for my old teachers.

It really surprised me how hard it is to show others and teach them about everyday things that we take for granted. It also showed me that there is going to be a lot more to keeping us together, and alive, than I thought.

…~…

**MoonSparrow: I know it's really short but, I didn't have any ideas. Think of it as a filler. *distant screaming* Oh, yeah the dreaded filler. Whatever. Okay, well, I'm going to go eat something and maybe watch some more Naruto. **

**Oh! I have an idea. Maybe a per chapter question will get you guys to review more! Okay. Umm, well, I'm listening to Forever Young right now. I think it's a good summer song so…**

**What is your favorite "summer time –ish" song?**

**Okay, see you soon. Love ya! Byez!**


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